A man was arrested Wednesday evening after running from police and jumping into the Columbia River.
Vancouver police responded at about 6:30 p.m. to the 6000 block of Southeast Riverside Drive for a report of suspicious activity.
A resident said two vehicles, a U-Haul and an inoperable pickup, were parked in front of their driveway. The resident said two men were knocking on doors asking for gasoline, according to a police department news release.
When police arrived, one of the men, later identified as Joshua D. Rouse, 44, gave officers a false name and took off running. He jumped a 20-foot embankment, ran over the railroad tracks and jumped into the Columbia River, the police department said.
Because of the cold water temperature and fast current, officers got permission to board a private boat until a Portland police boat arrived. Police worked to keep the man from swimming farther out, and he refused offers of a life jacket or to come onto the boat, the news release states.
After an hour of negotiating, the man grabbed a flotation device and swam closer to shore, according to the police department. He was taken to a nearby boat dock, where he was treated by medical personnel.
He was then arrested and booked in the Clark County Jail on suspicion of first-degree criminal impersonation. Police have applied for a search warrant for the U-Haul, the news release states.
The Vancouver Fire Department, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, Portland Police Bureau and AMR assisted.
